Be Your Own Advocate for Breast Cancer Prevention
As you skate, surf, and snowboard, your health care is being comprised, not by anything you are doing, rather the health care reform that’s causing a stir from Capitol Hill. In the United States, a federal task force advised government that most women should not start routine screening until they reach age 50 (as opposed to the current standard of 40) and then be screen for breast cancer every two years after. This would mean cutting coverage of examinations and procedures that would prevent and reduce breast cancer in women. Mammograms, as well as screening for cervical cancer would also be compromised. Now, more than ever, the best way for you to prevent breast cancer is to be your own advocate.
A mammogram is an x-ray to screen women for breast cancer. The United States Department of Health and Human Resources recommends that you should see your doctor for a mammogram annually, as well as anytime you notice a change during a self exam. The goal of breast cancer screening is to catch it in its early stage, and ultimately prevent the cancer from developing. According to the American Cancer Society, breast self-examination (BSE) and physician examinations are considered essential parts of regular health care.
On the Boarding For Breast Cancer (B4BC) homepage, the organization states, “we couldn’t disagree more with these recommendations.” The statement continues, “Our roots are derived from a young woman losing her battle with breast cancer due to being dismissed by doctors as being ‘too young’ for this disease.”
B4BC has toured nationwide since 1996 to educate the board-riding community about breast cancer awareness and prevention. (B4BC Whitney Chaney was on all 46 stops of the Warped Tour with the traveling educational booth!) Their team of riders includes Barrett Christy, Elena Hight, Hana Beaman, Hannah Teter, Tara Dakides, Lynz Adams-Hawkins and Claire Bevilacqua.
"Women need to be their own advocates, no one knows your body better thanyourself." Said B4BC's Outreach Director Blair Young. "It's important for young people, all people for that matter, to know early detection methods and healthy lifestyle tools to increase your odds against this disease."
Young recommends that women educate themselves as much as possible- that’s why B4BC created a traveling educational booth. The organization hits snowboarding, surfing, skateboarding and even music events in the summertime.
"Our booth serves as a place for people to come up and talk about theirbodies, to get educated, and/or share the affects of breast cancer in their lives. It's all peer-to-peer communication making it a comfortable environment for young people to approach us."
Not only do they teach people how to perform self-breast exams; they also have jelly boobs to simulate different kinds of breast tissues. One shows potentially what a cancerous lump might feel like, and another shows fibrocystic tissue, which is non-cancerous, but pretty common in women. It’s great for not only women, but for men to feel as well.
Keep-A-Breast (KAB) is another organization within the action sports industry that strives to raise breast cancer awareness through art events, educational program, and fundraising efforts. KAB raises money for breast cancer research by fabricating papermache breast casts (professional athletes and others) and making them into beautiful pieces of art with the help of artists. The casts are then sold and the proceeds donated to breast cancer research.
While the constant flow of news on health care reform is convoluted, confusing and even scary- protect yourself from breast cancer by being your own advocate, and refresh your healthcare knowledge with organizations such as B4BC and Keep-A-Breast- save the boobies!
For more information, visit:
Boarding For Breast Cancer (B4BC)
www.b4bc.org
Keep-A-Breast
www.keep-a-breast.org
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